Leg support and restraining device



Oct. 20, 1936. J wlRUTH LEG SUPPORT AND RESTRAINING DEVICE Filed Jan.'22, 1936 v Emma J Vl Zruih big.

Patented Oct. 20, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,057,992 LEG SUPPORT AND RESTRATNING DEVICE Emma J. Wiruth, Tulsa,( )kla.

Application January 22, 1936, Serial No. 60,337

. 7 Claims.

This invention relates generally to the practice of surgery and is concerned primarily with the production of a device for supporting the lower limbs of a patient while in a recumbent position on an operating table or the like.

An object of the invention resides in the pro' vision of a leg supporting device which is adjustable to various positions best suited to thesize of the patient thus providing for maximum comfort and facilitating the performance of the operation.

Another object of the invention consists in the provision of such a device which is capable of firnily' securing the'entire leg from justabove the knee to the foot thereby avoiding any possibility of the leg being worked free from the support and consequent interference with the operation being performed by the operator.

Afurther object of the invention resides in constructing a leg support for the major portion'of the leg and which is easily adjustable as to length so as to be readily adaptable tothe requirements of the various patients.

A still further object ofthe invention consists in providing a leg support which is light in weight, yet strong and durable in construction and capable of being quickly applied to or removed from an operating table.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an end of a conventional operating table showing one of the leg supports mounted thereon and a second one indicated in dotted outline.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of one of the supports, and

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing in greater detail, the numeral I indicates an operating table, on the end of which is mounted a pair of vertically extending eyes or sockets 2 provided with set screws 3. These eyes are adapted to receive and adjustably support rods 4 provided with offset portions 5 adapted to properly space the leg supports from the end of the table.

The upper end of each of the rods 4 is provided with a pair of perforated ears 6 adapted to receive between them a perforated ear 1 formed on each of the leg supports. A pin or screw 8 is passed through the aligned perforations and completes the hinged connection which permits the leg support to pivot in a vertical plane. Inasmuch as the construction of the leg supports is identical, only one of them Will'be described in detail.

The main body of the leg support carries the hinge ear 1 and is indicated by the numeral 9. This portion of the support is substantially U- 5 shaped in cross-section and is provided with a bend intermediate its length adapted to conform to the back of the patients leg with the knee slightly bent. This portion of the support, as M well as that about to be described, is preferably made of chromium or other bright metal, al--' though it will be understood that aluminum or other suitable metal may be employed, and is provided with cut-out portions Hi to reduce the weight of the complete device.

The under side of the part 9 adjacent its forward end is provided with a lug H in which is fixed a guide rod l2 for a purpose to be described, and formed on the inner sides of this portion of the support are rectangular guidewaysl3 formed by pressing sections of the metal outwardly.

The second section of the leg support comprises a memberaM, substantially U-shaped in cross section and provided with a foot-rest l5. This section istelescopic'ally received in the main seetion 9. on the exterior sides of member M, at the upper end thereof, are elongated lugs l6 seated in the guideways l3, and it will be apparent that the section [4 may be adjusted longitudinally of section 9 by reason of the sliding connection be- "0 tween the lugs and guideways. Set-screws I1 are provided for locking the section H1 in its various adjusted positions.

While the lugs l6 and set-screws I! serve to prevent the rotation of section l4 and lock it against longitudinal movement to a certain ex tent, supplemental means are provided to insure the maintenance of the proper relationship between these parts. To this end the back of section [4 is provided with a pair of lugs l8 and I9 threaded onto the guide rod l2, and set-screws 20 carried by the lugs serve to lock them to the rod at the desired position. It will be apparent therefore that section I4 is secured against longitudinal movement by two pairs of set-screws l1 and 20 and is held against rotative movement by the lugs IS in guideways l3 and lugs l8 on guide rod l2. 7 r

Adjacent the longitudinal edges of the sections 9 and M of the leg support slots 2| are provided to receive straps (not shown) for firmly and securely strapping the patients legs, ankles and feet to the supports.

In the operation of the device, the leg supports are raised or lowered, as best suited to the particular patient, by loosening the set-screws 3 and. adjusting the vertical positions of the rods 4 with respectto the eyes 2. The section I4 is then adjusted longitudinally of section 9 to a length identical with that of the patients leg from the knee to the foot. The leg is then strapped to the support at the various points provided by the slots 2|. The pivotal connections 8 between the leg supports and rods 4 permit the supports to be rocked to positions providing the greatest comfort to the patient and yet securely maintaining the legs strapped to the supports.

From the foregoing description and the attached drawing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have devised a simple and inexpensive leg support and holder; that it is readily adjustable to suit the sizes of various patients; that it provides means for firmly securing the legs from just above the knee to the foot, thereby avoiding any possibility of accidental displacement of the legs from the supports; and that while strong and durable, the supports are relatively light in weight and capable of easy handling by a single operator.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described what I now believe to be the preferred embodiment of the invention but inasmuch as various minor changes may be made in the de tails of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, it is intended that all such changes be included within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A leg support and restraining device including a vertically adjustable rod, a leg support pivotally mounted thereon and adapted to support a patients leg from the knee to the foot, said support comprising telescopically engaged sections of substantially semi-circular cross-section, and means for locking the sections in various adjusted positions.

2. A leg support and restraining device including a rod, a leg support pivotally mounted thereon, said support comprising a plurality of sections substantially semi-cylindrical in cross-section, and means for adjusting said sections to vary the length of the support.

3. A leg support and restraining device including a rod, a leg support pivotally mounted thereon, said support comprising a plurality of sections of substantially semi-circular cross-section, a sliding engagement between said sections, and means for locking said sections in adjusted positions.

4. A leg support and restraining device including a rod, a leg support pivotally mounted thereon, said support comprising a plurality of sections, a sliding connection between said sections, means for locking said sections in adjusted position, and supplemental means for securing the sections in operative position comprising a rod fixed to one section and adjustably connected to the other section.

5. A leg support and restraining device including a rod, a leg support pivotally mounted thereon, said support comprising a plurality of telescopically connected sections, a secondary connection between said sections including a rod, apertured lugs on the sections receiving the rod, and means for locking one of said sections in various adjusted positions along the rod.

6. A leg support and restraining device including a rod, a leg support pivotally mounted thereon, said support comprising a plurality of sections, a sliding connection between said sections consisting of elongated lugs formed on one section, elongated depressions formed in the other section and slidably receiving the lugs, and set-screws for locking the sections in various adjusted positions.

7. A leg support and restraining device including a supporting rod, a leg support pivotally mounted thereon, said support comprising a plurality of sections, a sliding connection between said sections consisting of elongated lugs on one section, elongated depressions formed on the other section and slidably receiving the lugs, a guide rod fixed to the exterior of one of the sections, one or more apertured lugs on the exterior of the other section and receiving an end of the guide rod, and means for clamping the lugs to the guide rod.

EMMA J. WIRUTH. 

